In a wireless communication system that covers its communication area with cells formed by wireless base stations, positioning of multiple cells enables communication between wireless terminals over a large area. In Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), communication at various places is enabled by covering a communication area with small size cells called femtocells. There is a form of communication in which program data is broadcast to multiple wireless terminals in this type of wireless communication system (see JP2005-516474A and JP2007-174645A).
In a band available for a wireless communication system, multiple wireless channels are defined, from which a wireless channel for broadcasting programs is selected. On the selected wireless channel, program data is broadcast from a wireless base station. A user can watch the program by receiving data on the wireless channel on which the program is broadcast with a wireless terminal.
General wireless terminals for viewing broadcasts of this kind include fixed terminals represented by home radios or televisions and mobile terminals that can be carried by users. Also, schemes for broadcasting programs include a scheme which releases programs in advance prior to their broadcast and carries out broadcast according to the programs as well as a scheme which temporarily changes programs for announcing an emergency or for extending a program that is currently on air.
In a wireless communication system, however, radio resources are limited. Besides, because wireless channels are also used for point-to-point calls, the number of wireless channels available for program broadcast is further limited.
Meanwhile, in view of the situation in which wireless channels available for program broadcast are not sufficient despite a host of programs, it is desirable to have a communication scheme to select some provided programs and broadcast only the selected programs.
As an example, when there are ten programs and each of the programs requires a radio band of 1 MHz, a radio band of 10 MHz is necessary for broadcasting all the programs. In reality, however, such a situation is possible where only a radio band of 3 MHz is available. In such a case, three out of the ten programs would have to be selected.
One method of selection is to broadcast programs as previously scheduled without consideration of users' preferences. In this method, users can reliably learn when and which programs are broadcast by referring to a program table published beforehand. However, programs really desired by users are less likely to be broadcast. Although there is a technique to take into account users' preferences in selection of broadcast programs (see JP2001-313922A (paragraphs 0023 and 0024)), the technique does not reflect users' preferences in broadcast programs in real time.
While the descriptions here illustrate a wireless communication system as an example, broadcast of program data is similarly performed in a wired communication system as well. In addition, that the communication resources may be limited is also true for a wired communication system.